bettany backhouse blood

By Jocelyn Mitchell

We can never know our distant ancestors; their thoughts, opinions, religious or political beliefs, their loves or their fears. In fact, we may not even be sure of their origins. All we can do is infer some sort of understanding from hints, suggestions, early chronicles, etymology, and folklore.

A Batthany family ancestor can be traced to the founding of Hungary by Arpad, circa 890ACE. The seat of the family was in the Balaton region of Western Hungary and is connected to the Arpad-Hazi through marriage to King Stephen's sister. Members of the Hungarian Batthyany's, whose seat is in Gussing, Austria, claim their Magyar descent through one of seven princes called Ors (also known as Urs).

This book follows the history of the medieval ruling elite and considers the circumstances that drove a Hungarian ancestor to Normandy, where an association with Duke William developed from 1051. It is suggested that this Hungarian ancestor was involved in the promotion of new military techniques which helped the Normans conquer England. After service as a liege of the king in defending the Marche on the western border with Wales, this ancestor was granted the landholding of Betley, as recorded in the Domesday book, and settled in Staffordshire.

After grappling with the consequences of the Black Death, the descendants of this family moved to Dilhorne in the Staffordshire Moorlands. Four hundred years later, descendants emigrated to the colonial capital of New Zealand. These were the author's great grandparents.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0C12D8TVY
• ISBN13: 9798849378329
• Release Date: April 2023
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 546 Pages
• Weight: 1.59 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.0" x 9.0"